His Father's Lightsaber
by GravityNeko
Summary: Sequal to Idle Hands are the Devil's Tools: the aftermath of the lightsaber incident, with not so much funny events. Ben must now face the consequences of his rampant curiosity.
1. Chapter 1

**A?N: Okay, this is going to be intense..this will be a two chapter story. **

**.**

After Ben had been severely scolded, he was sent to his room for the night. Mara Jade Skywalker looked at the spread out parts—realized something, much to her horror. This was _not_ her lightsaber—it was Luke's father's.

Her heart sank. Luke would be crushed if he were to find out. His father's lightsaber which had rested on a top shelf in hers and Luke's bedroom now lay in pieces. She sighed and looked at it, what in the devil was she going to do?

Well, she could fix it and keep mum on it... She shifted her shoulders...but she didn't like keeping this from her husband, it would be deceitful.

She sighed.

Even if she did decide to go that route, she had no idea where to begin…. She sorted through the pieces…this was not her lightsaber. It had been constructed thirty plus years ago. A lightsaber was a unique weapon, constructed specifically to meet its wielders needs and form.

Mara got up, leaving the mess on a table in the family rec room. She made her way to her son's room, casting a quick look around for Luke, and then entered it.

Ben Skywalker was seated at a small table in his room, lightsaber parts strewed about.

"Ben, didn't I tell you not to tinker with anything?"

The boy didn't respond.

"Ben." Mara stalked over, peering over the boy's head.

"Shhh…Fixing dad's lightsaber."

"Ben..." She sighed. "I know you took it apart, but there's no way you can put it back together; let your father do it."

He turned his head over his shoulder, giving his mother a patronizing look. "It's not hard, Mom. All you do is put the pieces back like they were when you took it apart. Reverse the process."

"Is that so?" She placed her hands on her hips.

"Yeah…" He began to make work on the lighthsaber—and stopped suddenly. "Mom…I can't do it with you over my shoulder."

"Oh, sorry." She backed off, watching him from the doorway. A thought occurred to her. "Does your father know you have his lightsaber?"

"Yea, I told him I could fix it."

She waited a beat. "And he said, okay?"

"Yea," He sighed and looked over his shoulder. "Mom, this is going to take longer if you keep talking to me."

She raised her hands in the air in mock surrender. "All right, I'll go." Mara turned to leave the room then paused, another thought occurring. "Ben….can you fix the other lightsaber?"

He stopped his work.

"Can't you?" He asked, eyes still fixed on the table.

She folded her arms over her chest.

"I could if it was mine to begin with."

He turned around and gave his mother a perplexed stare.

"Ben…the lightsaber you disassembled, did you find it out the top shelf?"

"Yeah…"

"That was your grandfather's lightsaber."

Ben's face fell as the reality of his mother's words dawned on him.

"Oh, no." His eyes dropped back to the table, a look of horror on his face. His head whipped back to regard his mother, eyes wide. "What'll I do, Mom?" He picked at the pieces absentmindedly. "Dad's….gonna go nova if he finds out."

"Probably."

A distressed look came over his face. "What am I'm going to do…" He moaned.

"That's pretty obvious, young man. You're going to have to face the piper."

Another look of horror. "You mean tell-tell dad."

"Bingo."

"I can't."

Mara shook her head. "Sorry, that is not an option." She frowned. "I hope you understand how very disappointed I am with you."

He gnawed on his bottom lip.

"Not only did you violate your father's and my privacy, you tampered with a very special memento of your father's. Ben, that lightsaber wasn't just some lightsaber, you ought to know that. That lightaber was technically the first present your father ever gave me; he entrusted _me_ of all people with his father's sword."

Ben was feeling lower and lower with each word his mother spoke. He willed himself not to cry.

"And don't start with the waterworks." Mara warned. "It's not going to help you this time." She sighed. "Ben, don't look at me like that…your father is not some monster that's going to gobble you up. I can't understand why you have this ridiculous fear of him."

"He's going to be mad."

"Probably." She conceded. "But that doesn't mean he loves you even less."

He turned back to the table and began to cobble the lightsaber back together once more.

"Do I have to tell him now?" He murmured.

"Yes. Trust me it's better to do it now, than wait." She walked over and crouched down next to her son. "You'll feel better."

He considered this."All right…let me finish the lightsaber then we'll go."

"All right…finish up. No stalling."

**…..**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: And now, the stunning conclusion to…His Father's Lightsaber.**

**.**

"Luke…" Mara called out, approaching her husband who was working on his X-wing.

Her husband looked up and turned to face her, putting down his tool. "Mara? Something wrong?" He spotted his son. "What's going on?"

"Ben has something to tell you." She put a hand on her son's shoulder, gently prodding him forward. "Go on, Ben."

"Mom…" He whispered back, eyes wide with trepidation.

"Ben, we had an agreement." She stared at him hard. "You need to tell him. This isn't going to go away."

"He'll hate me…"

"Mara?"

She dismissed her husband for the moment, her eyes softening. "He could never hate you, Baby." She turned her eyes toward her husband who was looking at her confused and silent.

"Go ahead." She urged once more.

Ben looked at her, biting his lip, and then resignedly turned to face his father. Luke was gazing upon the boy with confusion, but his eyes were soft. "Ben?"

The boy momentarily looked back at his mother then walked forward.

"Dad…"

"Yes, Ben." Luke sensing something was amiss frowned.

Ben halted, seeing his father's unhappy expression.

He could feel tears springing to his eyes. He didn't want to cry! Crying was for babies. He wanted to be strong like his mother! Like his cousins! Like his aunt Leia and his uncle Han!

"Ben, is something wrong?"

"I-I-…." Ben suddenly began to stutter. "I'm sorry," was all that came out.

"Sorry? Luke walked forward and kneeled in front of his eight year-old son. "What have you got to be sorry for? Ben, the lightsabers can be fixed. I know you didn't do that maliciously."

"No, it's not that."

"What is it?"

His father had such kind eyes.

"I-I broke grandfather's lightsaber…"

Luke's eyes widened.

"What?" He asked hoarsely.

"I wanted to see what was inside…so I took it apart. I didn't know it was grandpa's. I thought it was mom's." Ben explained in a rush.

Luke could feel himself going cold inside. He kneel there for a moment, feeling strange. He could feel his son's eyes upon him.

"Dad?" The boy looked on him with such concern. "Dad? Please say something. Are you mad? You are, aren't you? I really am sorry. I didn't mean it."

Luke didn't know what to feel. That lightsaber was the only memento he had of the man who had been his father. He could feel his son's fear and his worry. He should have been mad…angry…he should have been yelling. But he only felt cold inside; not quite knowing what to do.

"Dad?"

Luke got up and took two steps back from Ben. His eyes a bit glassy, his mind in a daze.

"Luke?" Mara called out. "Luke, say something? She frowned. "You're scaring, Ben."

Luke could hear the worry in Mara's voice and was picking up on Ben's fright, but he ignored them both as if they weren't there. _Father_. He thought. He didn't feel rage, he felt...hurt…upset. Like someone had grabbed his heart and began to squeeze.

"Daddy?" The boy called out and reached for a leg of his father's trousers.

Luke made a movement almost like a flinch.

"I-I have to get some air." He mumbled and turned and walked off….

Leaving a young Ben standing there stunned, grasping air with tears in his eyes. He hung his head, lip quivering.

"Well," Mara muttered. "That did not go like I thought it would." She sighed running a hand through her hair. She approached Ben and placed a hand on his shoulder. The boy turned and broke out in a sob, crying into his mother's stomach.

"I knew it...He hates me."

Mara knelt down and gathered her child in her arms. "He doesn't hate you, Baby. Daddy just needs some time to think. That lightsaber was very special to him. He'll come around. Your daddy could never hate you, Ben. He loves you too much."

She looked up to where her husband had retreated. _Damn you, Skywalker. _

**.**

Luke stood outside in the common area court yard, his arms folded over his chest, trying to process what he had just heard.

_It was an accident_. A part of him reasoned.

"That lightsaber was priceless. I've told him a million times not to go in our room without permission. I thought he knew the boundaries. I thought I raised him right. I…Ah, kriff it." He was no longer cold anymore. He could feel himself bordering on anger; a dull, aching heat raging inside.

He was angry with the boy.

"I have every right to be, don't I?" He yelled. "It was up on a shelf for a reason."

Ben had always been more mischievous then any child Luke had come across. His sister's kids included—and there were three of them, two of them being twins. With Jaina and Anakin, there had always been things being taken apart in the Solo household. Though, he never recalled his nephews or his niece doing something so reckless like Ben had.

"It's just a lightsaber, Luke." A voice said from behind him.

"It's not _just _a lightsaber." He snapped, whirling around…

He stopped in place, eyes widening imperceptibly.

"Father?"

He hadn't seen Anakin's Force-ghost since Endor. Now, here he was, thirty years later.

"Is what you feel really worth it, my Son?" Anakin inquired softly. "A lightsaber can be easily repaired. It can be rebuilt. It is an item not a human life. A child cannot so easily replaced. Nor their love."

"You don't understand."

"Don't I?" He walked around and sat down on a nearby bench. "I almost lost you. I lost you because I was blinded by my own feelings, because they were all that mattered to me."

Luke took on a confused expression. "I don't understand what you mean."

"No, you wouldn't." He sighed. "Luke, my failure to trust in the Force and forgive led me to a dark place. It took me away from my children…whom I would have done anything to protect. Unfortunately I did not weigh the consequences far enough."

"But.."

"No, Luke."

"Father."

"Nothing you can tell me, can excuse your anger. Your child is not worth the feeling you feel right now. If you take this too far, you will lose him forever—the way I lost you."

"But you didn't, I brought you back."

"And I died. Do you want for Ben to grow up with the thought that you hate him? Do you want to lose him over something so insignificant?"

When Luke didn't say anything, Anakin carried on.

"You once said to a young Prince Isolder, you must forgive…before your hate burns in you a black spot in your heart..Forgive and serve the Light side of the Force. And did you not befriend the Emperor's Hand; what's more you married her. You also forgave your student Kyp Durron, along with countless other beings. You forgave me." He raised a brow. "Now, surely a man who is capable of that much forgiveness to those he is not even related to, would be capable of forgiving his own flesh and blood. His own child."

Luke looked duly chastised.

"Your son loves you…and he is truly sorry for what he has done. But he is still a child, Luke, and he needs reassurance from his father. He needs your love—and to know that you forgive him, no matter what he does."

Luke didn't speak for a moment.

"Son?"

"I do." He lifted his head, tears in his eyes. "I do love my son. I would do anything for him. I fought during the Yuzzhan Vong War so he could live."

"Then face him…and tell him." Anakin got up. "Don't let your feelings create a rift between you two…You are the only father he has."

"Thank you…Father." He whispered.

"Think nothing of it. I'm just trying to prevent you from making the same mistake I made." He made a shooing motion. "Now go. Don't make me do this again."

Luke nodded and watched as his father disappeared as easily as he had come. He turned away and sighed. "Well, Luke," He murmured. "Time to man up."

**.**

**.**

When Luke had arrived back in the hanger, his son and his wife were nowhere to be found. So, he headed back to their apartment where he figured they'd gone. He could feel a sense of foreboding as he approached their floor in the turbolift. His wife's anger was coming off in waves, crackling through their Force bond. He sighed. He was in trouble.

He began to prepare himself in order to brace himself from her diatribe which would surely be unleashed on him as soon as he stepped through that front door.

As a precaution, he projected apology through the Force—but was immediately rebuffed. Mara wasn't having it.

Luke took in a deep breath and stepped off the turbolift at his floor. He made his way to their apartment door and stood on the other side for a bit. Many would say he was afraid of his wife—and they would have every right to think so, because let's face it: Mara Jade was frightening when angry. He examined the door. He could hardly stand out here, avoiding her or Ben. Nothing would be solved between him and the boy if he stayed on the other side of the door. As if he was safe anyhow. He wasn't going to avoid Mara's wrath; the woman would cut through a wall to get to him in this state.

"Well, here goes." He said, and keyed the entry.

The door slid open to reveal a very pissed Mara Jade Skywalker, sitting on their flow form couch, arms crossed over her chest. She was glaring daggers at him. You know the saying, if those looks could kill….yea it wasn't her look that he needed to be afraid of. It was the vibro-dagger, the lightsaber, and her blaster that he needed to be afraid of.

"Hello, Mara."

"Don't you "Hello, Mara," me. What you should be saying is I'm sorry."

"I'm-"

"Not to me, you bantha-brain. Your son!" He jabbed a finger in the direction of Ben's bedroom.

"Of course."

Her eyes flashed with fire. "NOW!"

"Yes, dear."

"And don't come out until there are no more tears." She paused. "And if there are, they'd better be tears of happiness."

He nodded and headed for his son's room. Luke tentatively knocked on it. "Ben…Its dad. Can I come in?"

When he didn't receive an answer he looked back to Mara—and received a glare for his efforts.

"Ben, I'm coming in." He said, and hit the pad.

The door _whooshed_ open and he stepped through. He stood now on the other side of the door, looking around the room. It was a typical boy's room. Littered with models of ships and similarly designed sheets, family holos on a dresser, toys piled in a chest in the corner, and a table in the center of the room.

Before the table, knelt a little boy with red-hair, bent over various mechanical pieces.

"Ben…"

"Go away!" The boy snapped, still focused on the task at hand.

"Ben, I'm not..." Luke tried.

"I said, go away. You hate me!"

Luke flinched. "I don't hate you, Ben."

"Yes, you do." There were tears in his voice.

"I don't hate you." He walked over and kneeled down beside the boy. "Ben, look at me."

The boy didn't respond.

"I could never hate you, Ben. You're my child, my son. You are the most precious thing in my life." He reached to touch the boy's hair—and Ben shied away.

Frustrated, Luke sighed. "Ben, please. I'm trying to say something to you."

"You were angry." Ben turned toward his father, glaring accusingly. "You looked at me…like you…were disappointed with Ben."

_Oh, dear_…. Luke thought. _He's talking in third person; that's never good. _

He thought of lying and telling Ben he wasn't, but that wouldn't be the truth. He had been upset, very upset. It wouldn't do the boy good for Luke to placate him with false admissions.

"You're right, Ben. You're absolutely right, Son. I was…very upset…I was angry." He took a breath. "Your grandfather's lightsaber meant the world to me. It was very special, you understand don't you. It's like…that stuffed Ewok mommy got you when you came home…at the end of the war."

He stopped what he was doing. "Bobo?"

Luke's eyes became soft and an understanding smile crept over his face. "Yes, exactly." He assumed a cross-legged position. "Now, imagine something bad happened to Bobo…like mommy or I accidentally lost him..How would that make you feel?"

The boy thought for a moment. "I would cry. I love Bobo." He looked to his father. "Bobo's not gone, is he?"

Luke shook his head and drew his son closer. "No, Ben. Bobo's safe on your shelf."

"Good…I don't want Bobo to get lost."

"Would you feel angry?"

Ben nodded.

"Why?"

"Because you and mommy got him for me…"

Luke nodded back encouragingly. "Do you think we would lose Bobo on purpose?"

"No."

"Why?"

"Because you gave it to me, because you love me."

"Is that why you love Bobo?"

"Yes." The boy answered clearly.

"Well, that's the same way I feel about your grandfather's lightsaber. It was a gift…from my first mentor….the only thing I ever had of your grandfather's.

Ben turned his gaze back to the task in front of him. "I'm sorry, Dad."

Luke shook his head and pulled his son into a hug. "No, Ben. I'm sorry." He rested his chin on the boy's red-hair. "Sometimes, it's daddies who are the ones that need to say they're sorry." He paused. "I should have never let myself get that upset…It made me lose sight of what really mattered."

He smiled slowly.

"You are worth more to me then a lightsaber. I love you so much. I could never _ever _hate you."

Ben sniffed and threw his arms around Luke's neck. "I love you too, Dad."

Luke smiled once more, and gently patted the boy on the back. "I know." He withdrew from Ben. "Now, let's get rid of those tears shall we? Or else mommy might find a place to put that 'saber of hers."

"What?"

"Nothing."

Ben narrowed his eyes. "Dad, I'm not dumb."

"I know." He got up. "Just an inside joke."

The boy frowned; he knew exactly what that meant. His father wasn't going to tell him though. He'd find out eventually.

"Ben?"

Luke was heading for the door and stopped short when he realized his son wasn't following him.

"I have to fix this first."

"You can stop that for now. I don't exactly need it right away."

Ben frowned and sighed in exasperation. "No, Dad. I already finished that one." He turned back to the item in question. "I'm working on grandpa's now."

Luke raised a brow at this. "You are, huh?"

"Yes."

"Will it work?"

Ben turned to his father and rolled his eyes. "I'm a Skywalker. Of course it'll work."

His father broke out in a grin.

"Well, then I'll guess I'll leave you to it…I'll tell your mother you'll be having lunch in here I guess."

"Yeah."

Luke paused, holding open the door. "Ben?"

"Yeah, Dad?"

"We're good. Aren't we?"

The boy turned and flashed him a little smile. "Yeah…we're stellar**."**

**.**

**A/N: Okay…longer than the other chapter….But done!**


End file.
